For a young athlete growing up in Sri Lanka, cricket can feel almost unavoidable. It dominates conversations, television coverage and sporting ambitions. But Dumindu Abeywickrama found his own path away from the country’s cricket obsession — and, ironically, it began with a medical problem.
At 10, Abeywickrama was playing tennis. A middle-ear infection forced him to stop and, on medical advice, choose an indoor sport. He picked badminton.
More than a decade later, that unexpected decision has taken him to the biggest stage in the sport, the BWF World Championships in New Delhi.
At 23, the Sri Lankan men’s singles player has climbed into the world’s top 100 and is trying to turn badminton into a sustainable professional career despite limited financial support at home.
A Career That Started With a Detour
Abeywickrama never planned his journey into badminton in the conventional way.
Tennis was his first sporting interest, but his health forced a change. Badminton initially became the alternative, but gradually it became much more than that.
What started as a doctor’s recommendation turned into international competition, ranking points and eventually a place at the World Championships.
His progress has been particularly significant because Sri Lankan badminton does not offer athletes the same financial ecosystem available in some of the sport’s stronger nations.
For years, much of Abeywickrama’s career was financed by his parents.
He has openly acknowledged the considerable amount of money his family has invested in keeping his badminton journey alive — covering the expenses associated with training and international competition.
First Major Sponsorship Came Just Before the World Championships
One of the biggest developments in Abeywickrama’s career arrived almost at the last possible moment.
The Sri Lankan secured his first sponsorship deal with Kawasaki only two days before travelling to New Delhi for the World Championships.
For an athlete who had spent years relying heavily on his family, the deal represented more than commercial backing. It was a sign that his performances were beginning to attract attention.
Government assistance remains limited. Abeywickrama said he receives roughly US$300 per month from the Sri Lankan government and noted that badminton players do not have a regular salary structure.
That financial reality makes his rise even more significant.
He is competing internationally while simultaneously trying to build the support system required to remain at that level.
The World Championships: A Tough Exit, But a Bigger Lesson
Abeywickrama’s World Championships campaign in New Delhi was brief.
He entered the men’s singles draw and progressed to face India’s Ayush Shetty in the second round.
The result was one-sided, with Shetty winning 21-8, 21-10 in 26 minutes. Abeywickrama’s tournament therefore ended at the Round of 32 stage.
Match Score
Ayush Shetty (India) def. Dumindu Abeywickrama (Sri Lanka)
21-8, 21-10
But the defeat did not erase the significance of Abeywickrama’s appearance.
The match was also a reminder of how quickly players can develop at the international level.
Abeywickrama had actually beaten Shetty when the two met in 2023. Three years later, he found himself facing a much-improved version of the Indian.
Shetty had entered the contest with enormous confidence after producing one of the tournament’s biggest shocks by defeating defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi in the opening round.
Rather than treating that as an excuse for pressure, Abeywickrama viewed it more practically: his opponent had improved, and he needed to improve too.
That mindset may ultimately prove more important than the result itself.
Ranking Shows How Far He Has Come
Abeywickrama’s presence at the World Championships is another milestone in a steady climb.
He has reached the world No. 82 ranking, according to the latest information in the interview, putting him firmly among the leading men’s singles players in Sri Lanka.
For a player coming from a country where badminton operates in the shadow of cricket, that ranking carries additional significance.
He is not simply chasing personal success. His career is also helping give greater visibility to a sport that has traditionally struggled to compete for attention.
Psychology Behind the Shuttle
There is another unusual dimension to Abeywickrama’s career.
Alongside professional badminton, he is pursuing a degree in psychology, which he expects to complete in March.
For him, psychology is not simply a backup career.
He is interested in understanding how athletes think, react and learn — including the mental processes that influence performance on a badminton court.
His academic interest extends to neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganise its connections. For an athlete, that idea has an obvious connection with training, learning new skills and adapting to opponents.
The combination of sport and psychology has also influenced how he deals with pressure.
Earlier in his career, major matches could bring significant nervousness. Now, his approach is considerably simpler: play without feeling that everything is at stake.
Learning to Compete Without Fear
That change in mentality could become one of Abeywickrama’s biggest strengths.
Instead of overcomplicating his preparation for major tournaments, he treats competition much like another day of training.
There is no elaborate pre-match ritual or complicated psychological routine.
His approach is straightforward: step onto the court and play.
That attitude is particularly valuable for an athlete still building experience at the highest level.
More Than One Match
Abeywickrama’s 2026 World Championships campaign ended with a heavy defeat, but judging his journey only through the 21-8, 21-10 scoreline would miss the bigger story.
His journey represents the struggle of athletes trying to build professional careers in sports that receive less attention and funding.
It is a story about a child who switched sports because of an ear infection, a family that continued financing an uncertain dream, a young athlete who studied psychology while competing internationally and a first sponsor who arrived just days before one of the biggest tournaments of his career.
Most importantly, it is the story of a Sri Lankan badminton player attempting to create his own space in a sporting culture dominated by cricket.
At 23, Abeywickrama is still far from the finished product.
The World Championships exposed the gap between him and one of India’s rapidly rising young players. But it also gave him another benchmark.
His next challenge is simple: turn that defeat into development and continue pushing Sri Lankan badminton towards a bigger stage.
For Abeywickrama, the journey that began with a doctor’s advice has become something much larger — a chance to prove that in Sri Lanka, a young athlete does not necessarily have to pick up a cricket bat to dream big.
Key Match & Career Facts
Player: Dumindu Abeywickrama
Country: Sri Lanka
Age: 23
Discipline: Men’s Singles Badminton
World Ranking: No. 82
BWF World Championships 2026: Round of 32
World Championships result: Lost to Ayush Shetty 8-21, 10-21
Match duration: 26 minutes
Previous meeting with Shetty: Abeywickrama won their 2023 encounter
First major sponsorship: Kawasaki, secured shortly before the 2026 World Championships
Government support: Approximately US$300 per month
Education: Psychology degree, expected completion in March
Career turning point: Switched from tennis to badminton after a middle-ear infection
The match result and career details above are cross-checked against the Outlook interview and contemporary World Championships reports.
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